Google Sites

Posted on May 24, 2008

Google this week opened up and announced that the Google Sites app was available for use. Though it was first launched about three moths ago, it was initially limited to use by companies and organizations.

Sites is yet another tool incorporated into Google Apps and owes its existence to the Google purchase of JotSpot last year. It gives users the ability to create Web pages that can be securely hosted by Google at http://sites.google.com/[whatever-you-want to call it].

The new application lets you create Web pages with built-in WYSIWYG tools similar to those in Google Docs, as well as the ability to embed documents, calendars, photos, videos, and gadgets.

Also like Docs, Sites gives the editor a variety of privacy levels to choose from, making the site as tight or loose in access as it needs to be.
Google suggests a wide variety of projects that can be created using the new program, including, team projects, company intranets, community groups, classrooms, clubs, and family updates.

If you’re looking to create an e-commerce site or a site that needs to use a template based system that you can create or modify, you’ll want to look elsewhere. But if your needs are along the line of the suggested groups or similar, then this may be a good tool to use. After all, as with most Google offerings, the basic version is free. You get the editor and the hosting at no cost. This should fit the needs of thousands of small collaborative groups who know they want to do something web-based but don’t have the how-to to pursue it on their own.

BTW, there is a premium version that adds a lot more stuff for $50 per year per person, but the basic edition will probably be suitable for most. Give it a try here.